


Chemistry

by N_Dragon_Eyes



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Is this enough tags?, It's Magic, Kind of Fullmetal alchemist vibes with the reader, Magic Reader, creation in the right, crossdresser reader, destruction in the left, need materials to make things, not a devil fruit, probably won't be regularly updated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:55:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28114992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/N_Dragon_Eyes/pseuds/N_Dragon_Eyes
Summary: After recently getting a musician on their crew, Luffy is a bit satisfied with the crew he has together and thinks the next person he has join the crew could be about anything as long as they're great. They stop at an island for supplies and a bit of rest before they'd journey to sabaody, but they hadn't expected for their own Thief to get pickpocketed by a strange boy.Especially when said boy was harder to catch than expected...
Relationships: Franky (One Piece)/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. Crafty Pickpocket

**Author's Note:**

> Not going to fully focus on the original plot. There will be hints on where exactly we are in the plot but other than that it'll be rather changed up for obvious reasons. Hope you'll enjoy, I kinda got the idea for this while mindlessly doing dishes and thought why not. It'd be neat.
> 
> The reader is technically a girl, you just feel more comfortable in men's clothing so you're often mistaken for a boy and you decided to play the part. Women either get treated as weak or like their special so you decided, fuck that, I wanna be treated normally.

The straw hat pirates, a crew of misfits that were brought together by their flexible and childish captain, Luffy. After getting the musician he wanted for the crew, a funny afro skeleton named Brook, he was satisfied with the roles he had filled for his crew. Now about any other addition he'd come by was just because he thinks they'd be a great addition to the family he's made.

The crew decided to stop at a nearby island for supplies, seeing as the battle they had to go through to get Brook exhausted a good chunk of what they had, Zoro and Brook were left on the ship while the rest of the crew wandered and gathered supplies.

Nami and Robin were both conversing, occasionally turning to Sanji about what needed to be bought for the ship, Sanji for once not swooning over them and focusing on explaining what food he'll have to pick up in bulk for the crew. Luffy, Franky, Chopper, and Usopp were a good bit a ways behind them, looking around that the island they landed on.

While most islands they had seen were quaint and rather small community wise, this island in particular share a similar vibe to Franky's home island. Bigger buildings, bustling community, definitely likely had an underground group or two. There was interesting advancements on the island as well that peaked Franky and Usopps attention, and left Luffy and Chopper in Awe. Several people also seemed to have robotic limbs that replaced lost ones, ranging in styles and expertise. Franky sort of felt at home here.

While they were distracted, it didn't mean they'd miss the deafening screech of their Navigator that always had something to do with money. When they looked over to see what was wrong, they saw a boy is ragged and baggy clothing running away from their crewmates in front of them. Sanji was about to run after and Robin was readying to use her devil fruit but just as they were going to, the boy slammed his left hand onto the ground and it destroyed under the three's feet, causing them to drop into the tunnel under their feet. The others watched in shock while Luffy grinned brightly. The look in his eye said it all to any of them they took notice.

He was going to make this boy a new member of their crew.

The boy returned to running away, a sack of money in hand that Nami brought with her. It was only a fraction of what she had on the ship and enough for the crew to use to resupply, but she was still stingy so it wouldn't be good for any of them to just let the boy run away with it.

Luffy wound up his arm, ready to extend it towards the boy but noticed he turned a corner just before he would send out his fist. He kept it wound up, extending his free arm to pull Nami, Sanji, and Robin out of the hole before circling it around some of the others, Chopper and Usopp, and then sending out his other arm to launch them in the direction the boy escaped to.

Sanji and Franky both stared running after them to help, taking a different route in hopes to flank them. Nami and Robin stayed, Nami seething and yelling that they better get her money back or else.

The boy must have known who they were based on how quick he'd dodge the guys. Luffy with try to grab him but the boy would turn a corner just in time. Chopper tried going faster to catch the boy, but only would end up falling into a hole created by the boy. Usopp tried using his sharp shooter skills but would miss by a hair due to the zigzag pattern the boy chose to run with. 

It wasn't until Sanji and Franky managed to get in front of the boy's way did it seem like they managed to catch him. Slowly approaching him as he tied the sack of money to his pants.

"Listen Kid, just give the money back and we'll let you go. If you need it for food, just go down to the docks and I'll find you with some food." Sanji started carefully, a stern but understanding tone as he lit a cigarette. The boy seemed very thin, and he chalked that up to living on the streets.

"Nuh Uh! We're not letting him go! He's joining the crew!" Luffy declared excitedly. "How do you make through holes in the ground? Are you super strong? Is it a power? I'm sure Nami won't care that you took our money since it'll be back when you join" He said in a quick and childish tone. The boy glared at them all.

"Whoa, Chill out Luffy. I understand that you want him on the crew but he's likely not going to join if you're forcing it." Franky said, holding up his large hands in a calm down motion.

The group started to bicker, the only one not being chopper watching as the boy shuffled around into his deep baggy pockets. He was confused before noticing the boy pulling out scraps of metal and casually moving to the metal fire escape next to them that seemed rusty and broken. When he was about to open his mouth to alert the others be stopped in shock as the fire escape crumbled before reconstructing with the scraps into what resembled a motorcycle, the others would stop bickering in shock as well,the boy jumping onto the motorcycle and breaking the ground under them, driving into the hole with the bike and clearly driving off.

".... THAT WAS SO COOL" Luffy yelled with a huge smile on his face. "He's joining the crew." He said with a determined tone, about to dive into the hole but was stopped short.

"Hey hey. That's not a bright idea, captain. We don't know anything about how the underground here works. We're better off regrouping and catching him later" Franky said, staring down the hole. "I wouldn't mind having him join myself, I gotta know how he did that, but getting lost would lessen a chance to get him."

"You have a point" Luffy huffed. He was dumb but not sthat dumb... Maybe.

With a bit more coaxing since their captain still was inching toward the hole, they managed to leave and go back to the girls. A mad Nami was questioning how hard it was to catch a boy when they'd fought harder things, but Robin calmed her down with some logic.

~~~

You stopped your bike at the hidey hole you made underground, deconstructing it and taking the good parts to use for later. A sigh passed your lips as you slumped into the tattered blankets you piled in a corner and open the sack of money you stole from the straw hats. You knew them, read plenty about them and eavesdropped on some marines that'd stop by the island every now and then. So when you saw them you just had to take a chance. You needed some good exercise with a nice reward for managing to steal their money.

Taking off your hat, you let your hair loose, smirking at how much you managed to get. You could afford enough food, water, and warm showers for a good month or so with this cash. Maybe some new clothes as well. You thought back on what the pirates were bickering over and laughed at the memory.

"I got money and a show. Never though boys would chase after me so much" You joked to yourself, your melodic voice giving away a bit of your true gender. "Not joining that crew unless they can grow some more brains. I'm not hiding that hard." You cooed and leaned back. It was naptime then you'll go back to the surface to buy some food and maybe get a warm shower at one of the bathhouses.

Today was a great day for you, the crafty little pickpocket woman. 


	2. Nearly Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Crew unknowingly bumps into the boy again.

After regrouping and such, the crew decided upon a course of action, trying to understand the island they landed on.

It wasn't hard, Robin managed to find some helpful scholars on the island who shared a lot of things about the islands history and it's people.

The island was once home to many scholars who practice what was known as Alchemy, using it in various ways to help themselves and their people to thrive before they started dwindling in numbers and other professions rose. Mechanics that made robotic limbs and even organs came to rise, technological advancements rapidly rose. While the alchemists themselves were rare or extinct, their ways influenced to the ever steady climb the island has. While they do have slums and underground groups, those groups are just homeless thieves who don't attack unless provoked and are usually happy if offered help. Many shops in the town make a point to roam the tunnels just to find a few of them to offer them a place to stay and work. The community in the town was well balanced, another thing they commonly thank the alchemists for. As the law of equivalent exchange became a bit of a moto. You need something of equal value to make something. Labor to make money. extending a helping hand to get more hands to help a shop. So on. If you give, you'll soon get something back of equal value. 

Nami was a bit pissy about that due to her money being stolen, but the scholars assured her that she make get a good chunk of it back in no time with something of equal value in exchange for what is lost. She rolled her eyes but let it be, knowing that if it was true, she shouldn't stay angry unless she misses her opportunity to get her money back.

When they were questioned on more info about the alchemists, they explain that the island hasn't seen one is several years but assume some do still exists as families of some of the alchemists that founded the island do still live here. Just most don't practice the craft or have the knack for it. Usually the easiest way to tell is if a person is able to destroy things at a touch and reconstruct them into something else. The very mentioned stunned them guys who had chased the thief, each had looked at each other before explaining what they encountered. While the scholars were a bit shocked, it wasn't entirely unheard of. If the thief was an alchemist that lived on the streets, it's likely due to their skills no longer being needed in the islands community. While the island is thankful, alchemists are better off going elsewhere to help other islands and such, but it's hard to get that ability if that's the only skill they possess, so living on the streets are likely.

It was after the discussion that it was solidified in the crews' mind. Luffy wanted to recruit this boy, and if he was what the scholars say to be alchemists, having one on the crew would be a very good idea. So it was an agreement to try and find the boy and recruit him. They planned to head down to the tunnels later to look for the boy who stole from them

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

You had woken up from your nap and took some money out of the sack to stuff in one of your baggy pockets while you tied the sack to the front of your bra and let your baggy shirt hide it's existence. First stop was the clothing store for a clean set of clothes before you would go to the bathhouse.

You aren't very picky on what you wear so you were quick on what clothes you'd get, making sure they'd be bigger than you so you wouldn't have to worry about them being too small for you. belts exist and baggy shirts are an excellent tactic. So no need to waste time trying on anything.

It's when you made it to the bathhouse was when things get a bit iffy. Getting a shower was easy, it was the company there that made it hard. 

After you had set your stuff into a basket to keep safe and got the soap and such, you walked into the shower room to see the 2 women of the straw hat pirates washing themselves while talking about what they heard.

"Do you really think that boy was an alchemist, Robin? If he was, wouldn't he follow the same ideals the town does?" Nami asked, still very grumpy but still keeping a good bit of her cool.

"Even such great influencers can get to a point where they need to do something quick to survive." Robin hummed, calmly scrubbing herself. You slowly moved to the furthest shower and started scrubbing away the dirt and grime that built up on your skin. Your skin looked darker than what it usually looked like and even covered the markings on your arms that were what helped you use your magic. They were right, you're an alchemist, but the makings thankfully aren't known to anyone except other alchemists.

"Luffy really wants to recruit him. I'm kinda for it if he could maybe make me more money" She huffed.

"It's possible" You chimed as you started scrubbing your hair. Your voice catching their attention. "From what I hear, as long as an alchemist has the same resources that were used to make the currency with the addition of something of good value on it's own, they can make a good chunk of money in a snap. You could find a neat crystal lying on the ground and that with the materials for the currency could get you a lot more money than expected" You hum. Rinsing your hair before scrubbing it again to make sure you got through all the grease and grime.

"How do you know that?" Robin inquired as she rinsed herself off.

"The law of equivalent exchange can be easily found in any bookstore on the island, most of the people even have it memorized. Its like cooking in a way. You have all the ingredients, and you make something outta it. Though there are some simpler ways. It can be like giving a jeweler a gem and getting money for it. Everyone is technically following that law whether they realize it or not." You answer simply. "Even criminals unknowingly follow it. They could sneak into a rich folks home and steal a bulk of their wealth, only for that rich guy actually only having that wealth from overworking his workers. He didn't earn that money so it was taken from them to keep the balance. That criminal could have been one of his workers too. Getting what he worked for finally."

"That's... weird but interesting" Nami muttered, washing her hair

"What of pirates?" Robin asked, raising a brow.

"Hm... I say they kind of do as well. They act as what balances the government. The government do all they can to make order, but they can't make that without chaos. In equivalent exchange, you have to deconstruct the ingredients to create something new. The government weeding out pirates and such creates order. While pirates taking down marines and places the government has order in can create chaos. Not to say one is good while one is bad. In some aspects the government is good while their order could end up bad due to a restriction of freedom. In some aspects pirates are bad cuz of chaos but at the same time that chaos can be freedom" You explain rinsing out your hair again. "That's just a board image though. Small actions in both sides can be another form." You shrug "It's just a typical way of life that not many realize and alchemists used as a magic."

"Interesting" Robin smiled "Even more reason for the crew to find that alchemist. That money is enough to be an exchange for their help" She hummed.

Silence flooded the showers as you finished and so did they. You made sure to quickly get changed and leave before they realize who you are

But you have a feeling Robin figured you out... You and your big mouth about the thing you love to do the most and are skilled at doing.


End file.
